community in California
Honey bee forage in Salida, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: almonds (nearest 0.5 mi E); cherries (nearest 1.1 mi N); apples (nearest 1.3 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Salida?
- First forage: Jan 16 (almonds, dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Mar 15, peaking late Feb (almonds, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Salida, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, almonds, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, almonds, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Almonds: about 4,868 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms early Feb – late Mar
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Salida
Mostly: Almonds; Walnuts; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.59 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.85 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 84% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025); Apples: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Salida ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 92nd | 19th | 17th |
| California | 83rd | 65th | 43rd | 37th |
| Central California Valley | 45th | 35th | 38th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Salida: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ripon 3 mi · Del Rio 5 mi · Modesto 7 mi · West Modesto 7 mi · Escalon 7 mi · Rouse 7 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Salida (37.7091, -121.0848); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.